On June 14th, while tanks rolled through Washington in a taxpayer-funded birthday parade for Donald Trump, the people of the Quad Cities turned out. Thousands arrived at Schwiebert Riverfront park to join in the nationwide “No Kings” day of action organized locally by Indivisible QC with the support of dozens of other local organizations.
The Quad Cities “No Kings’ event was one of more than 2,169 protests across the globe, collectively drawing over 5 million participants (and counting)
The message from the Quad Cities was clear: this country belongs to the people, not to would-be kings.
Veterans, union members, students, and first-time protesters turned out under a hot summer sun, waving American flags, making signs and holding each other up in defiant solidarity. Rock Island County Board member Kai Swanson served as emcee, guiding the crowd through a series of local speakers whose remarks made clear what’s at stake.
Among them:
- Lori O’Dell McCollum, a retired child psychologist and environmental justice advocate through Progressive Action for the Common Good and other environmental organizations.
- Angela Boelens, professor and founder of IA NICE, known for her impactful work in both education and refugee resettlement.
- Adam Peters, of Clock Inc. LGBT+ Community Center.
Every speaker shared a common thread: the Trump administration’s authoritarian shift is no longer abstract. It’s personal—and local.
Attendees came from throughout the Iowa \ Illinois Quad cities area. They were joined by many participants of the Quad Cities Unity Parade, which ended nearby the rally. “In a community, what happens to one of us, happens to all of us,” said an Indivisible QC organizer. “The decisions our politicians are making may be a game to them, but we are the ones who have to live with the consequences”
No thrones, No crowns, No kings.
The contrast between D.C.’s militarized parade and Rock Island’s grassroots turnout couldn’t have been sharper. While President Trump celebrated with tanks and fanfare, the people made their stand in the parks, streets, and courthouse steps of the real America.
And this was just the beginning.
Indivisible QC is fighting for the community. “Ours is a movement for people who are determined to turn fear, anger, and grief into action,” says Indivisible QC founder Victoria Masters. “We’re here to hold each other up, protect each other, and fight for our values.”
As Indivisible’s national statement declared:
“We turned out over five million people (and still counting) across 2,169 events in countries all around the globe… Post your photos and tag them #NoKings. Let the world see what democracy looks like.”
The Quad Cities showed up, spoke up, and stood up for solidarity.
Find out more about Indivisible events or volunteer opportunities
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indivisibleqc
Local Indivisible: https://indivisibleQC.org/
National Movement: https://indivisible.org/
Other media about this event
KWQC
QCTimes
RCReader
Argus Dispatch